What is Dark Romance?

If you googled Dark Romance, the definition that would come up is “a subgenre of romance with darker themes and mature content.” That has to be the most unhelpful definition in Google’s history. What does mature content refer to? Is it just sex scenes, and if so, then what’s the difference between erotica and dark romance? What about dark themes? Does that mean you’re writing romantic suspense? 

Here, in lines, the main problem for anyone interested in breaking into this genre. It’s hard to know if it’s the right path for you if you can’t define it. Luckily, I’m a dark romance editor, so I’ve done all the digging for you. The best way to understand if you’re writing a dark romance novel or if this is a genre you want to pursue is by understanding the type of relationship it explores.

The Type of Relationships Dark Romance Explores

Long story short, dark romance is where kink and villain romances meet. In this genre, you won’t find just any relationship developing. Specifically, we need either the love interest or protagonist to be a villain. I’m talking full-blown villains who are willing to go to any lengths to get what they want. In fact, if you loved the phantom in The Phantom of the Opera, there’s a great chance you’ll enjoy dark romance. 

The second thing that you will find in every dark romance is the exploration of kink relationships. If you’re interested in dom/sub dynamics, master/slave relationships, or anything under that umbrella, then this is the right genre for you. 

What you won’t find and what sets this genre apart from regular romance is traditional relationships. If the relationship doesn’t involve a villainous character and a kink dynamic, then it’s not dark romance, plain and simple. 

But if that’s what Dark Romance is exploring, then where does the “dark” part come from? 

Where Does the “Dark” in Dark Romance Come From? 

This is the part that makes or breaks the genre for people. Dark Romance is the intersection between romance and horror. 

Cue the gasps. 

Cue the shaking of heads. 

Cue the confused, angry stares. 

All right, hear me out because those two genres appear mutually exclusive. After all, the emotional experience of those two genres is completely different. Romance is fuzzy and inspires that butterfly feeling in your stomach. Whereas horror is, well, terrifying and makes you want to hide under the covers. How could those two ever intersect in a way that doesn’t either water down the horror to appeal to the sensibilities of a romance reader or ruin the romance by making the love interest completely insufferable?

I’m glad you asked. 

Well, I guess I asked. 

I liken the emotional experience of this genre to the Sour Patch Kids slogan, “It’s sour but sweet!” You’re contrasting the intensity of the horror elements with the sweet moments of a romance and the safety of knowing this will end in a happily ever after. When that’s done well, it creates a sour but sweet experience—one that readers are unlikely to forget. 

Where Do You Go From Here? 

So now you have a general idea of dark romance; what do you do with any of that information? First, if you’re brand new and want to break into this genre, the best thing you can do is start reading books about it and studying it. You can also subscribe to my blog, which provides in-depth information on dark romance. 

I also suggest starting by reading these books, which are the most popular in the genre: The Ritual by Shantel Tessier and Haunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton